Smiling is human nature. It’s the natural physical response to happiness. Despite the lack of scientific backing to the claim, it’s been said that it takes fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown. When you smile, you’re releasing stress-fighting molecules called neuropeptides, and ‘happy hormones’ such as endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin. Even ‘fake-smiling’ can activate this release in the body.
Ways to Feel Confident with Your Smile:
Sometimes we may feel tentative to flash a full-fledged, toothy grin, and sometimes this simply comes down to oral hygiene. If you feel your confident smile is wavering, give these six solutions a try.
- Maintain a good dental care routine
Maintaining a thorough, regular dental routine is key to a confident smile and better-smelling breath. Nobody wants a wafting whiff of what you had for breakfast! Use a soft-bristled or electric toothbrush to brush your teeth for two minutes—at least twice a day. (Pro-tip: electric toothbrushes are an excellent choice for whiter teeth.) Don’t skimp on the dental floss either. Brushing will remove surface-level bacteria, but it neglects the deep clean that comes with daily flossing. We tend not to think about those miniscule particles that lurk in those hard-to-reach crevices, but if you neglect to clear them from your mouth, you may be carrying around months of sedimentary build-up—which can negatively affect gum health.
2. Scrape your tongue clean
Finish off your dental care routine with a good tongue scraping. This sounds like torture, but we assure you, it’s not even on the same plane as a tongue lashing. A discoloured tongue can be a sign of bad breath. Restore the pink at the sink by giving your tongue a clean or scrape on the daily. This will remove food particles or stains, and bacteria that may be lying dormant in the mouth. Choose a toothbrush that has a tongue-brusher built into the head. If you’re using an electric toothbrush, keep your eyes peeled for a tongue scraper. It can be easy to forget that oral health covers more than just the teeth. Here is your tongue-in-cheek reminder!
3. Visit the dentist regularly
Flaunt a confident smile knowing you’re providing your oral health with optimal care.
To maintain oral health, it’s important to visit the dentist at least once a year. If you’ve been experiencing dental issues—which, perhaps, could be a contributing factor to your wavering smile—you should go twice annually, or as directed by your dentist. Best-case scenario, you will receive a thorough teeth clean and polish, and the verbal confirmation that there are no issues. Worst-case scenario, the dentist will detect dental issues, such as cavities, tooth decay, or even gum disease —early, if you’re lucky—and provide the appropriate treatments and recommendations. Whether you’ve slipped up or have a glowing bill of oral health, you can flaunt a confident smile knowing you’re providing it with optimal care.
4. Consider teeth-whitening
While we’re on the topic of dentist visits, you may wish to investigate further treatments beyond the standard check-up. Teeth-whitening treatments remove stains from beyond the surface and help with discolouration. There are a number of ways to better whiten your teeth, such as professional teeth-whitening (performed by a dentist), custom-fitted teeth-whitening trays (for home application), and over-the-counter products. Over-the-counter products tend to be less effective, whilst dentist-performed teeth-whitening tends to be most thorough. If you think a whiter, brighter smile may help restore your smile confidence, speak to your dentist about the best method for your situation.
5. Moisturise…your mouth
Not only is saliva crucial to digestion, but it naturally prevents bad breath by washing away food particles and bacteria. Ever had morning breath? That’s probably because your mouth dried up overnight. If dry mouth promotes bad breath, it only follows that water can freshen things up a bit. Drinking water throughout the day is crucial for hydration, and it will have the added benefit of rinsing away any stale remnants. Free of sugar, think of water as nature’s breath mint…and as the next-best thing to mouthwash.
6. Put on a happy face!
We’ve exhausted most of our dental care tips, so we’ll leave you with this beacon: just smile! This may sound obvious, just practicing your smile can help. Let go of the inhibitions that stop it from spreading in full. Remember that we are our own worst critics. Chances are that others will not notice whatever it is you’re obsessing over. So, a single tooth doesn’t sit perfectly straight? Others likely haven’t given it a second thought. In fact, embracing your flaws is one of the best ways to own your image and distract from any imperfections. A confident smile will far outshine any of your miniscule flaws.
